CURRENT
NATIONAL SECURITY ALERT LEVEL: MEDIUM
New
year, new era
On
1 January 2011 we officially changed our name from the NSW Fire Brigades
to Fire and Rescue NSW. The new name is intended to convey the
wider scope of services we offer to the community in the 21st century
while symbolising and supporting our organisation’s vision for the
future. An official style guide will soon be issued to provide
instructions on how the new name and logos are to be applied. In
coming months you will also hear more about the vision document (PDF,
1.4MB) and how you can play a part in helping to shape a new era.
Queensland
floods
Extensive
rainfall resulted in numerous rivers and streams swelling and catchment
areas overflowing across much of
Queensland
. Numerous communities were isolated, and houses inundated with
floodwaters. On Thursday 6 January, the NSW State Emergency
Operations Centre coordinated a FRNSW response to a request for
assistance by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. Deployments
of FRNSW teams began on Friday 7 January, with a six member Swift Water
rescue team. A second six member Swift Water rescue team was
deployed on Tuesday 11 January. A medium USAR Taskforce comprised
of 42 personnel - 34 from NSW, 2 from ACT, 2 from Victoria, 2 from South
Australia, and 2 from Tasmania - was deployed to Queensland on
Wednesday 12 January. A Strike Team of four appliances and crews
from northern NSW also left for
Brisbane
on Saturday.
We
once again showed that FRNSW can deploy professional expertise rapidly
under very difficult circumstances. Our sincere sympathy goes to
those families who have lost homes or loved ones. Yesterday I
welcomed back our USAR Taskforce and met our Swift Water rescue teams.
Thank you for a job well done.
Fire
safety campaign -
Australia
Day barbecue safety
The
template media release for the Australia Day barbecue fire safety
campaign is now available on the intranet. With Australia Day just a
week away, it is a good time for stations to promote key fire safety
messages in your local media.
Bravery
awards for Lismore hospital staff
Today
I presented three Lismore hospital staff with bravery awards at a
ceremony held at Lismore fire station. The awards were for the
courage shown by John McAlister, Monique Rhodes and Shirley Brown during
a serious fire at the St Vincent’s
Private
Hospital
, in Lismore on 29 April, 2010.
Assistant
Commissioner Jim Hamilton AFSM and I travelled from Sydney, and
distinguished guests included, the Hon Robert McClelland, Federal
Attorney-General; Janelle Saffin, Federal Member for Page; Deputy Mayor,
Lismore City Council, Simon Clough; and local dignitaries, officers and
crews from 362 Lismore and 316 Goonellabah.
Government
radio network (GRN) upgrade
The
current GRN environment used by FRNSW is based on Motorola proprietary
analogue technology that is over 20 years old. The NSW Government
(through the Government Chief Information Office) is upgrading the GRN
to a fully digital environment based on an open standard known as APCO
P25.
All
XTL 5000 mobile transceivers have been upgraded for digital operation.
XTS 3000 portable transceivers operating on the GRN (those with yellow
antennas) have been replaced with XTS 5000 units. The upgraded and
replaced transceivers incorporate a dual profile allowing operation on
both the existing analogue and the new P25 digital environments.
Migration from analogue to digital GRN operations will be undertaken
progressively over a four-week period commencing late January 2011.
See the intranet for more details.
Granville
memorial service
A
Memorial Service was held yesterday to mark the 34th anniversary of the
Granville train disaster, and to remember those who were killed and
injured in this country’s worst rail disaster. Fire and Rescue
NSW was represented by firefighters and Senior Officers. On the 18
January 1977, 27
Parramatta
was the first emergency service on scene and commenced the harrowing
rescue operations that involved the removal of 83 deceased people and
hundreds who were injured.
Sonia
Mac Dougall
I
was saddened by the recent passing of Sonia Mac Dougall, wife of retired
NSWFB Commissioner, Vice Admiral Ian Mac Dougall AC, AFSM. Serving
and retired members of the NSWFB/FRNSW are invited to attend a Memorial
Service for Sonia that will be held at the Salvation Army Sydney
Congress Hall,
140 Elizabeth St
, cnr
Clarke St
,
Sydney
, on Saturday 29 January at 1030 hours. Summer dress
uniform, tie and ribbons or neat casual.
INCIDENTS
Petrol
tanker fire
Just
after midday on Friday 31 December, numerous 000 calls were received
reporting an overturned double petrol tanker on fire on the
Pacific Highway
near Tintenbar, approximately 10 kilometres north of Ballina. The tanker
contained a mixed load of 40,000 litres of petrol and diesel and due to
ruptured tanks, immediately ignited; trapping the driver inside, who
tragically was unable to escape. The accident and fire also caused the
collapse of power lines which fell across another vehicle trapping two
people inside.
The
crew from 211 Ballina were first on scene and used foam during the
initial attack phase. RFS crews responded to supply water during the
extensive operation. The two trapped people in the car were safely
removed after power was isolated in the area by energy authorities.
Crews wearing breathing apparatus were finally able to bring the main
tanker fire under control using 15 drums of foam. However, a large
amount of fuel continued to leak from one of the ripped tanks, creating
a massive secondary fire in a nearby swamp area adjacent to the roadway.
It was considered too dangerous to attack this fire and it was allowed
to burn itself out over a period of six hours.
Crews
maintained a fire watch throughout the night and the next morning it was
necessary to dig up several drains and flush them through in order to
remove residual fuel and vapours. The area was finally declared safe at
1447 hours the next day. The highway was closed throughout the operation
and there was extensive road damage caused by the intense fire. Crews
from 211 Ballina, 316 Goonellabah, 362 Lismore, 468 Tweed Heads, 253
Casino, 213 Bangalow and 240 Brunswick Heads attended the long and
difficult incident.
Bathurst
cinema ceiling
collapse
At
1246 hours on Monday 3 January, Fire and Rescue NSW was responded to
reports of a roof collapse at a cinema complex in
Bathurst
. The incident occurred during a major rain and hailstorm that impacted
the area. 216
Bathurst
crew were on scene within eight minutes of notification and confirmed
that ceilings had collapsed in two cinemas within the complex and that a
number of people might have been trapped.
The
crew from 105 Kelso arrived shortly after and firefighters assisted
numerous patrons to exit the cinema. Fortunately there were no serious
injuries. Firefighters simultaneously checked the cinema for safety
issues such as live electrical power, gas leaks and potential for
further structural collapse to ensure that there were no additional
risks to patrons or rescuers. Fire crews used thermal imaging
cameras to scan the interior of both cinemas. This equipment again
proved valuable in helping all the rescue services to quickly determine
that no-one was trapped beneath the rubble.
Our
firefighters worked cooperatively with other agencies including NSW
Police, Ambulance and the SES. Forty-six people were in the cinema at
the time of the incident and all were able to evacuate safely with only
several people requiring treatment for minor injuries.
Paper
manufacturing fire at Tumut
At
0542 hours on 16 January, Wollongong Communications received a 000 call
to paper rolls alight at the Visy Paper site, 14 kms south west of Tumut
and in RFS area. As per the Mutual Aid Agreement, both FRNSW and RFS
responded. On arrival, FRNSW firefighters were confronted with
paper reels 100m x 20m x 3m external to the main building and well
alight. The initial response consisted of 457 Tumut, 218 Batlow
and RFS.
The
incident was upgraded to a 2nd Alarm on arrival of 467 Tumut and due to
the size of the incident, Duty Commander Riverina was responded.
Over the following 2 and half days crews worked alongside each other and
Visy staff to bring the incident under control. Ground monitors from
Albury and
Turvey
Park
were bought in to assist crews who had improvised in making their own
ground monitors using lines of 70 and pocket lines. As the incident was
brought under control, heavy machinery was used to separate the paper
rolls.
Seventeen
stations from Zones RS1, RS2 and RS3 attended as well as Duty Commander
Riverina, and Duty Commander and
Zone
Commander
Southern
Highlands
. FRNSW withdrew after 2 ½ days, leaving the incident with the
RFS who maintained skeleton crews over the following 16 days. The
professionalism, resourcefulness and patience of attending crews brought
this incident to a safe close, averting potentially catastrophic
consequences for both Visy and the Tumut community.
ASK
THE COMMISSIONER
Q.
As
meal allowances have now increased over $25, and if a crew of 4 puts in
a claim and it goes over $100, it won't be approved. Why can't the
$100 approval be increased as well?
A.
The
limit of $100, in this instance, applies to each individual
firefighter and not the collective amount. That is, the meal allowance
paid to each individual firefighter is a separate transaction. The
meal allowance for each firefighter, currently $25.80, can continue to
be paid from petty cash.
The
$100 limit on petty cash transactions is mandated by NSW Treasury and
applies across the entire public sector.
Q.
When
will the brigade start giving out proper transcripts and certificates
for all the training that staff (particularly retained) undertake? The
RFS has been doing this well for it's members for years!
A.
Improved transcripts and certificates are on Education and
Training’s agenda for 2011. We would welcome any input from
firefighters.
Q.
With
the current revamp of the brigade's public image has there been any
thought towards modernising the station on-hold tune which has been
around for as long as anyone can remember?
A.
A
good suggestion. Updating the on-hold messages has been under
consideration for some time and will be done when resources and
priorities permit. Updating on-hold messages does take time to ensure
messages are correct and requires scripting and professional
recording. It will be considered in 2011 work plans.
COMMISH’S
CORNER